Training for Speed and Power without Heavy Weights

Training
1

Hey gang,

Over the last 6 years or so, I have been doing alot of explosive training and plyometrics and have done so up until a cuble of months ago.
Due to lack ot time I had to choose between grappling and strength training and ended up choosing grappling. (not really a hard choise to make)

After a couble of weeks I noticed a big change in my Grappling, I seemed to be able to twist my body more and everything is just much more fluid.
After a month or so things started to cool down again at work and I again had the time to train in the gym.

I started to experiment, trying to figure out what made me tense up, and I found that it was the heavy resistance training.

Fast forward a month or so and I have come to the conclusion that I want to try and do without the heavy training, my game is simply that much more fluid.

that leaves me with only plyometrics and explosive training with light weights, squat jumps etc.

But What can I expect to gain from this and is there anyone who have tried this ?

2

I think it’ll depend on your levels of relative strength. If you’ve got a good base of strength behind you then you will make gains in expressing that strength quickly through plyometrics etc.

But, if you don’t you will likely develop a little strength through improved neurological efficiency, but you’re gains will have a ceiling on them represented by the strength that you have.

I know what you mean about resistance training making you feel a little tight, but personally I believe that to really gain explosiveness you have to build up a good base of strength before you bother. To avoid the “tightness” or awkwardness, try more athletic movements that require the fluid coordination used in grappling. Also, a full ROM is key.

Examples of exercises that I think transfer well to the game:

  • lunges, pullups, pistols, dips, inverted rows, woodchops, handstand pushups, front squats, single leg deadlifts etc.

just use exercises that challenge full ROM’s in a dynamic way and it shouldn’t slow you down if you’re flexibility is up to snuff.

3

[quote]Jits wrote:
Hey gang,

Over the last 6 years or so, I have been doing alot of explosive training and plyometrics and have done so up until a cuble of months ago.
Due to lack ot time I had to choose between grappling and strength training and ended up choosing grappling. (not really a hard choise to make)

After a couble of weeks I noticed a big change in my Grappling, I seemed to be able to twist my body more and everything is just much more fluid.
After a month or so things started to cool down again at work and I again had the time to train in the gym.

I started to experiment, trying to figure out what made me tense up, and I found that it was the heavy resistance training.

Fast forward a month or so and I have come to the conclusion that I want to try and do without the heavy training, my game is simply that much more fluid.

that leaves me with only plyometrics and explosive training with light weights, squat jumps etc.

But What can I expect to gain from this and is there anyone who have tried this ?[/quote]

What were/are you doing for strength training?

Have you also considered the idea that your technical skill simply improved from all the added grappling practice, and your fluidity really had little to do with your lack of strength training? You also might want to look at your previous mobility routine if you were feeling tight from doing strength training.

It’s certainly possible to develop speed and power without resistance training, but you’ll never reach the same level of speed and power that you could reach if you developed your strength along with your speed.

4

Its because you are less of a spaz now. Go back to lifting heavy shit.

5

[quote]Jits wrote:
Hey gang,

Over the last 6 years or so, I have been doing alot of explosive training and plyometrics and have done so up until a cuble of months ago.
Due to lack ot time I had to choose between grappling and strength training and ended up choosing grappling. (not really a hard choise to make)

After a couble of weeks I noticed a big change in my Grappling, I seemed to be able to twist my body more and everything is just much more fluid.
After a month or so things started to cool down again at work and I again had the time to train in the gym.

I started to experiment, trying to figure out what made me tense up, and I found that it was the heavy resistance training.

Fast forward a month or so and I have come to the conclusion that I want to try and do without the heavy training, my game is simply that much more fluid.

that leaves me with only plyometrics and explosive training with light weights, squat jumps etc.

But What can I expect to gain from this and is there anyone who have tried this ?[/quote]

1/ Heavy lifting?..what rep range were you working in?

2/How much did you work on flexibility during this time.

3/I’m not a big guy but am known and complimented on being a physically strong grappler. This would not be the case if it weren’t for my lifting. Lifting like a body builder won’t improve your grappling but liftin correctly for grappling will.

OMC

6

I Think my base is acceptable, of course it could always be better, But I do a 450 deadlift at 80kg.

I couldn’t Agree more about the importance of doing full rom movements and athletic movements rather than, say machine exercises.

Doing a full list of the exercises I use would take up a bit to much time and space, but Exercises like deadlift, cleans, snatches, hspu, squat variations, c&j etc. are all stables in my program.

The rep range vary between 1 and 5 and sets vary between 3 and 10.

I felt the difference in mobility and fluidity (is that a word ?) after 2 weeks, so I don’t think my technical level could have improved very much, certainly not enough to feel a difference og this magnitude.

My mobility and flexibility rutines haven’t really changed…

I allways start my training (strength and grappling) with a comprehensive list of dynamic movements, where most are taken from magnificent mobilty and every other day I go through the entire MM. dvd as a warm up for a fullbody flexibility rutine.

So I actually do the MM. exercises everyday and a flexibilty rutine every other day

7

[quote]Jits wrote:
I Think my base is acceptable, of course it could always be better, But I do a 450 deadlift at 80kg.

I couldn’t Agree more about the importance of doing full rom movements and athletic movements rather than, say machine exercises.

Doing a full list of the exercises I use would take up a bit to much time and space, but Exercises like deadlift, cleans, snatches, hspu, squat variations, c&j etc. are all stables in my program.

The rep range vary between 1 and 5 and sets vary between 3 and 10.

I felt the difference in mobility and fluidity (is that a word ?) after 2 weeks, so I don’t think my technical level could have improved very much, certainly not enough to feel a difference og this magnitude.

My mobility and flexibility rutines haven’t really changed…

I allways start my training (strength and grappling) with a comprehensive list of dynamic movements, where most are taken from magnificent mobilty and every other day I go through the entire MM. dvd as a warm up for a fullbody flexibility rutine.

So I actually do the MM. exercises everyday and a flexibilty rutine every other day
[/quote]

It could be that during those two weeks you learned to control the strength that you had previously built.

Often times when someone gains large amounts of strength they actually see a decrease in performance initially, because they are unable to control their new found strength. I know it has happened to me in the past. But, after a short period they are able to control their new strength and see an improvement.

So, it could be that taking the time off from lifting allowed you to get a handle on your strength and learn to control/utilize it better.

8

I would figure that a 450 lb deadlift should be a good enough base for some pretty substantial gains from plyos, check out
higher-faster-sports.com for some good info on this stuff.

9

Previously you were tired from the weights in a given grappling session. Stopping for a short time meant you’d stopped being tired from recent weight training. However fast forward a year and you’ll be weak, have lost the benefit of strength training and being getting your ass handed to you.

This the reason for the invention of linear periodisation in sports training.

Given your deadlift is fairly damn solid if you were to stop trying to get much stronger (scandalous to say that on T-Nation I know) and merely lift in order to maintain current strength levels. I’d agree with the last guy and say you can do some serious plyo training at that strength level.